10 Things You Should Do when You Transition from Crib to Toddler Bed

Most parents start the transition from crib to toddler bed because their child climbed out. I know that’s true for me. My eldest climbed out of the crib and fell smack on the floor. One of the twins somehow landed on his feet. As for his twin brother, we found him straddling the crib, hooting, “Horse-y!”

For other kids, the transition happened because they liked the idea of a big bed. They associate cribs with babies and want their own beds instead.

And still others are ‘forced out’ of their cribs when a new baby arrives. Whether they want to or not, these kids need to adjust to the toddler bed to make room for their baby sister or brother.

No matter the reason, we can all use these tips for transitioning from crib to toddler bed.

How to transition from crib to toddler bed

Let’s begin with preparing your child for the transition into a toddler bed. We’ll assume she’s excited or at least compliant enough to try her new bed. (Later, we’ll talk about what to do when that transition doesn’t go so well.)

1. Frame the change as something positive

Focus on her growing up and the next stages of sleep arrangements. Avoid bringing up other factors and talk about her instead. For instance, don’t say that you need the crib for the new baby (even if it’s true). Instead, talk about how she’s growing up so fast and she can be just like mom and dad with her own bed.

At the same time, keep your enthusiasm in check. Have a genuine conversation without overdoing how cool sleeping in a toddler bed is. She’ll see right through the antics and might feel more anxious than excited.

2. Install a toddler rail

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Confession time: One of my twins fell at least five times on the floor because it took us that long to finally get a toddler rail. The poor thing slept in a crib that, while it converted to a bed, didn’t include a rail. We even tried putting pillows on the floor to catch his falls (#momfail).

When you’re shopping for a rail, make sure you get one for a toddler bed frame. I saw many rails in stores but most were for twin beds. We got something like this:

Our other convertible crib came with a toddler rail so that came in handy.

5. Make the room safe and comfortable

Think of your child’s room as her new “crib”—she now has access to the rest of the room. Even if you explain that she’s to stay in bed, don’t chance it that she’ll follow your word.

Instead, make the room safe by removing items or clutter she can trip on in the middle of the night. Clear the pathway to the door in case she tries to open it. Any toys you don’t let her play with unsupervised should go in a different room. You want to keep most items out of the way to lessen any danger now that she’s more mobile.

At the same time, keep the room comfortable and calm. You might want to remove any battery toys that light up or make sounds. Now that she has access to them, she might play with or even step on them by accident.

6. Use a night light

My eldest felt scared transitioning to a toddler bed because of his fear of the dark. That may even be why he tried to climb out in the first place.

Even if your child had been fine in the dark, consider using a night light now that she’s in her bed. She might roam, and better for her to do so without tripping or bumping on anything.

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Let’s say you did all the above: you talked about moving from a crib to toddler bed and read books all about it. You encouraged her with positive words and even bought her a new blanket.

What if, despite all that, she has a meltdown? I’m talking a banging on the door, won’t stop crying, “Don’t leave me Mama” meltdown?

We went from the child who slept through the night in his crib to one who didn’t want anything to do with his toddler bed. You can imagine how relieved we were for not to go through that twice with our twins.

What to do?

7. Put a safety lock on the doorknob inside the room

This might seem mad, considering we’re talking about locking your kid in her own bedroom. But think of it this way: before, she was within the confines of her crib. Now, she’s within the confines of her room.

8. Check in every few minutes

If your child is still crying when you close the door to the room, set your timer for five minutes. When it goes off, open the door and walk her back to bed and tuck her in. Explain that she needs to sleep in her bed and that you’re right in the next room. Then walk out and close the door. Keep this and all interactions subdued and minimal.

Then, set your timer for 10 minutes, and do the same thing. If she’s still crying at the 10 minute mark, open the door and walk her back to bed again. And repeat at 15 minutes again until she finally falls asleep.

9. Encourage your child to sleep in her bed, not yours

I get that we’re always there for our kids when they’re scared. But letting her sleep in your bed because she’s scared tells her that her bed and room aren’t safe places to be.

Instead, walk her to her room and tuck her in each time. Acknowledge her fear (“I know you’re scared because you’re sleeping in a bed for the first time”). Then, reassure her that all is well and her bed is a warm and safe place to sleep.

Or, find a happy medium by sitting next to her bed on the floor while she sleeps in her bed. Let her know you’ll be there for a few minutes and then it’s time for you to sleep in your own bed too. But keep in mind that if she throws a fit when you leave, then you can’t use this tactic again (clearly it didn’t work).

10. Let your child sleep on the floor

Another thing, if you find that she fell asleep on the floor, it’s okay. There’s no need to carry her back to her bed. If she wakes up the next morning, congratulate her for having gone through a huge change. (Yes, even if you hardly slept.)

Conclusion

It took about two weeks before our eldest was 100% fine sleeping in his toddler bed. No sitting next to him, no yanking on the doorknob. We didn’t find him passed out on the floor. He slept the whole night in his bed, safe and snug.

Your child may be the same or completely different, like my twins. With them, they had the added benefit of not being alone in the room, which helped them feel less scared. They also saw from day one their big brother sleeping in a big boy bed and knew the transition was a normal one.

Whether your child is eager or scared, the transition from a crib to toddler bed is a big one they all make. No longer are they the little baby you laid in the crib but are now big kids, complete with their big kid beds.

Want to determine whether your child is ready to drop a nap? Download my FREE printable, Transitioning to Fewer Naps! Use it to record when your child is likely ready to take one less nap (hint: 5 days in a row is a good indicator!). Download it below:

Tell me in the comments: How did you handle the transition from crib to toddler bed? What challenges are you currently facing with your child’s sleep?

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Comments

Our oldest transitioned really well. It was exciting for her and she looked forward to it. My first son went straight from the crib to his sister’s bed in the same room. They enjoyed sleeping together and it helped ease the transition. By the time the third was ready for a bed, we had bunk beds. The youngest slept with his brother for a while and then we finally moved Sissy out and the boys share the bunk beds. They still sleep with each other on occasion.

It amazes me when I hear about kids who stay in their cribs til 3! I wish mine were like that. It’d be much easier, though thankfully two out of three transitioned well. Can you imagine if your little guy climbed out at 18 months? Eeks!

Great tips! Thank you! Our son tried to climb out of the crib for a few times and finally, he succeeded. He jumped out on our bed that was close to the crib. We understood that it was a time to buy the toddler bed. When he saw his new bed, he was so happy and liked it very much. I think he thought that finally, he was free from his prison – the crib:). That change brings us the new challenges like you said. As I understood your son sleeps in his own room. We didn’t change the bed placement, so that toddler bed is still close to our adult bed. Our son usually sleeps in his bed and sometimes comes to our bed at night. We also were afraid that he would go to the other room at night by his own. For our luck, it’s never happened.

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